A pleasing and heart warming compliment on the Fit Jazz forum from one of our Fit Jazz customers! Thank you for your support! It is reviews like these that spur our passion to improve Autokinetics and serve our customers better! 🙂
“Hi,
I would like to compliment Auto Kinetics for their good customer service today. I was at their shop this afternoon to check out the new ContiComfortContact 5 tyres.
a) As I wasn’t exactly sure if I needed a tyre change, Jake (one ofthe 3 bosses) offered to test drive my car. After the test drive, he commented that my current set of Goodyear Assurance tyres still looked ‘new’ with the treads left, and the decision was really up to me to change to the new CC5. There was absolutely no hard selling of any sort.
b) It was a joy chatting with Jake and James (the technician) on tyres. Jake was also very patient when explaining to me the design of the CC5 and other stuff on honda fit as he owns the same car. It was all before I made up my mind to change my tyres.
c) James was very proficient when doing wheel balancing on all 4 wheel after changing to the new CC5 tyres. He even showed me that one of the rims appear to be ‘warped’ as it wasn’t rotating smoothly on the balancing machine. He seemed meticulous and careful doing balancing on each of the tyres. I have been to quite a number of ‘famous’ tyre and car workshops and they are always in a mad rush to do the wheel balancing and none seemed to bother to check if there’s anything amiss with the rims.
d) When I was concerned about my wheel alignment, Jake offered to help me check FOC using their latest machine. The machine looked so cool, really!
e) I met up with Wee (one of the 3 bosses too) towards the end and he seemed a friendly person. Chatted for a while and got to know how all 3 bosses met and set up this shop with passion. They are all young university graduates by the way.
So in the end, I did take up their last set of 195/55/15 CC5 tyres. I must say that the customer service was excellent, the best I have encountered so far.
Introducing the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT, Dunlop’s Flagship Premium tyre for the Singapore market.
The SP Sport Maxx TT features an asymmetrical modern tread design, coupled with innovations such as:
Sidewalls reinforced by DuPont’s Kevlar polymer
Jointless Band Technology to maintain structural integrity at high speeeds
MFS (Max Flange Shield) to protect rims
Rubber compound adapted from motorsports research
Multi-Radius-Tread (MRT) technology to distribute contact patch pressure smoothly during cornering
With the SP Sport Maxx TT, Dunlop has created a very competitive entrant in the Summer Ultra High Performance tyres market, going head-to-head with familiar tyres in Singapore such as the Bridgestone RE050A, Michelin PS3, Continental CSC3 and Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric. Such tyres usually perform well on normal street driving, with the capability for the occasional hard driving. They are otherwise known in the market as all-rounders.
Let’s take a look at some of the innovative features in detail to understand why the SP Sport Maxx TT tyre performs very well in many international tyre reviews.
DuPont™ Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer (EE)
Without boring you on the material properties of the Kevlar material, let’s just say that the Kevlar short fibers are highly resistant to thermal decomposition, while providing high strength and modulus. The incorporation of Kevlar into the tyre compound is considered to be a breakthrough in tyre technology.
By using Kevlar material in the entire apex compound of the sidewall, it creates a rigid structure resistant to torsion and compression, which in turn translates to improved dynamic behaviour especially at high speeds and high temperatures. They also result in enhanced stability during cornering and improved road feedback.
By the way, adaptations of Kevlar are used in bulletproof vests all around the world to save lives, thus wouldn’t it be of some comfort to know that it can potentially save lives when cornering at speeds bordering on insanity?
Multi Radius Tread Technology (MRT)
MRT ensures a homogeneous pressure distribution in the contact patch, whilst simultaneously delivering a larger tyre foot print – delivering superior dry handling, without compromise in the wet. This simply means good contact of the tyre and road regardless of changing road conditions.
Max Flange Shield (MFS)
MFS protects our precious and beautiful rims by simply having rubber that extends outwards so that the rims will never be flush with the tyre, thus preventing the rims from being scratched in the unfortunate event we scrape the irritating curbs.
Road Tests
In independent road tests, the SP Sport Maxx TT exhibited excellent road holding abilities during hard cornering thanks to the stiff sidewall, while providing a firm ride at speeds above 100 km/h, i.e. the vehicle will not “hunt” for the direction line even after a hard correction between lanes. In addition, vibrations were absent from the steering wheel even at aggressive cornering, meaning the MRT technology is working at keeping a homogenous contact patch.
Granted, there was a little low level growl that is felt, not heard, at low rolling speeds but it was eliminated at cruising speeds and the tyre betrayed very little road noise. This may be due to the tyres being freshly installed and run.
But don’t take our word only, here is the objective tyre review from TireRack.com, pitting the Dunlop against the CSC3, Pirelli PZero Rosso and Yokohama ADVAN Sport in a series of dry and wet conditions.
If you are ready to look into an alternative performance tyre instead of the usual suspects, the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT will serve you very well, and maybe even exceeding your expectations, thanks to its excellent build quality and innovations built in.
The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT are already widely available on the market by the time you read this, and here at AutoKinetics, we have a variety of sizes to fulfill your needs. Do check out our promotions, and do not hesitate to give us a call for enquiries!
By the way, our readers have frequently confused the SP Sport Maxx TT with the SP Sport Maxx. Please take note that these are different tyres, Sport Maxx being a rotational tread while the Sport Maxx TT being a new asymmetrical tread. The person who thought of the naming for these series of tyres should be shot…
Continental CSC3 vs. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT vs. Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3)
Choosing tyres in Singapore can be a taxing issue. Car owners have different tyre preferences and various tyre retailers will tell a completely different story about the same tyre.
To give you an example, recently there has been a rumour going around that Thailand-made Michelin PS3’s are better than those higher-priced PS3’s made in Europe. This is with the logic that they are supposedly made for the tropical climate of Singapore.
My reply to that is……. Seriously?
Without being explicit on how I feel about all the proverbial ‘smoke’ that has been going around, I will be as objective as I can when comparing these 3 tyres. As such, I will be focusing mainly on objective comparisons such as ratings, tread design, build quality, rubber softness, side wall stiffness, and calling upon other credible sources such as international reviews.
Summary:
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Pros:
– Very solid side walls that cater to driving enthusiasts who desire fast response and a solid braking feel
– Uses a soft rubber compound to give a high level of grip especially when warm
– MFS technology enables it to be driven a distance even on a flat tyre
– Great value for performance
Cons:
– Due to the softer compound used, the wear rate is less than that of its competitors
– Less comfortable and louder than the rest due to harder side walls
Recommended for: The driving enthusiast who loves to drive and values response
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
Pros:
– Performs well despite soft side wall, very comfortable
– Wet weather performance is above the rest
– Surprisingly good steering feel when using slightly higher tyre pressures due to hard compound rubber
– High wear rating (320) allowing it to run for longer distances than its competitors due to harder rubber compound
– Lighter than the rest, thus paying dividends in fuel consumption, car handling, braking and acceleration
Cons:
– Soft side walls do not make it ideal for track work also when experiencing a puncture they get damaged quickly when driving on.
– Relatively costly
Recommended for: Drivers who prefers a comfortable ride with sporting overtones and drivers that prioritize safe handling on wet roads
Continental CSC3
Pros:
– Balanced tyre and quiet tyre, soft on the move (if you like softness)
– Very Comfortable
Cons:
– Can be vague in terms of steering and under hard braking, this is probably due to the medium side wall hardness and medium soft compound.
– The worst tyre for track work and enthusiastic driving (unless you’re only going in a straight line)
– Relatively expensive
Recommended for: Drivers who want a bit of this and that with no specific affinity towards a particular direction (my mum likes it on her Mercedes kind of explains everything…-.-)
Let me commence on the comparison of the individual components.
View references for Links to international reviews the end of the article.
Tyre size compared: 225/45/17
Tyre Ratings:
Continental CSC3: 91Y, wear rating: 280 Traction: AA Temperature A
Michelin PS3: 91Y wear rating: 320 Traction: AA Temperature A
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT: 91W wear rating: 240 Traction: AA Temperature A
Break down of rating comparison: Load rating of 91 means that each tyre can carry 615kg. More than sufficient for a car using 225/45/17.
Speed rating of W means the tyre is rated for 270 kmph
Speed rating of Y means the tyre is rated for 300 kmph
For these ratings, we can see that all 3 tyres are suitable for all cars in Singapore on 225/45/17’s.-> If you use 225/45/17 on an unmodified car that can exceeds 270kmph, do let me know and I’ll treat you to a can of beer. Do take a picture of your ride and send it to me as well 😉
Although we can see that the wear rating of the Dunlop is less than that of the other 2 tyres, wear ratings are relatively subjective. For those who know about Bridgestone, they would know that the RE 050A has a wear rating of only 140 (they are used predominantly on BMWs in SG).
How fast the tyre wears depends on the weight of the car. A tyre with a tread wear rate of 280 can last 4 years on a 1 ton Toyota Vios but probably only 1.5 to 2 years on a 1.8 ton Estima (again also depending on driving style).
Tread design:
Tread design is a very crucial factor when it comes to tyres. Tyres corner on the outer surface of the tyre due to the car leaning outwards when turning into the corner from centrifugal forces dictated by the physics of our universe.
Thus for tyres to corner well they rely on the contact patch on the outside. Tyres that corner well thus have larger outer patches. This aids in cornering on 2 fronts.
1. The larger the patch, the greater the contact area.
2. The larger the patch, the more stable the “block” as the block squirms less when pressure is applied on it. *
* I do know that rubber compound is a factor but let’s get to that later.
Thus one would think “Why don’t they make tyres with huge solid outside blocks?” Well, to answer that, that is why drag cars or go karts tyres have no tread. HOWEVER, these tyres are extremely ineffective on wet roads therefore accidents are bound to occur.
Hence tyres require a good balance between large blocks and sufficient drainage channels for water.
For these 3 tyres they have sufficiently large drainage areas.
Here are the pictures for the tread design of the tyres:
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
– Note the large cornering blocks
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
– Narrow but long cornering blocks
– Note the huge water drainage channels compared to the rest.
Continental CSC3
– Traditional performance design as compared to the other tyres
Conclusion on Tread Design: The 3 tread designs are unique. Michelin has the most unique tread design not seen in any other tyre brand. Its large narrow side walls seem unorthodox in design; strangely they defy expectations and allow the tyre to corner rather well. For the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT, its tread design is similar to the new Continental 5P and Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2. The Continental’s tread design is very conventional and conservative in fact (more on this conservativeness later). All 3 tyres have sufficiently large channels to evacuate water, Michelin leading the pack; this is why in international reviews, Michelin PS3 is a strong wet weather performer. On initial impression the large tread block design of the Dunlop seem to mean that the Dunlops were designed for cornering in mind.
Side wall stiffness:
Side wall stiffness is the key to cornering, handling and comfort. For comfort, one would require a tyre with very soft side walls. For handling and cornering, a very stiff side wall provides direct feedback and allows the tyre to hold its shape during hard cornering.
Manufacturers balance using hard rubber with soft sidewalls (Michelin) or soft rubber with hard side walls (Dunlop) to achieve good cornering balance with comfort and grip.
As the adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words and in this case a video is worth much more =). Hence here is the youtube link showing the side wall stiffness of the 3 tyres:
Rubber compound:
Now for those who are paying attention, one would ask, “wait a sec… doesn’t a tyre with hard rubber compound have less grip?”
To answer that question, the answer is YES.
Hence does this mean that the Michelin PS3 has a lower level of grip than the rest?
Well, there are exceptions to this rule. New age rubber compounds may be hard but have a high coefficient of friction. With respect to these 3 tyres, Michelin’s PS3 tyres have a hard but high friction rubber compound. While the CSC3 and SP Sport Maxx TT use traditional soft rubber to achieve its grip.
In terms of rubber softness Dunlop tyres have the softest rubber, followed by Continental and the hardest would be Michelin.
On the road this can be experienced by the sure footed feel of the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT especially on hard cornering on less than smooth surfaces.
Special features:
Some Tyres come with special features. In the spirit of fairness, it is to be noted that the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT comes with MFS technology. This makes the side wall hard, while the MFS technology is predominantly present to protect the rim. The harder rubber allows the Dunlops to run further than the other 2 tyres when a puncture develops, without risking tyre separation. <- Not a pretty sight to see and very damaging to the car.
Build quality:
Well this is a more subjective section, but as the three tyres come from Europe and Japan, it is thus impossible to find any disparity in their build quality, as compared to China or Taiwan made tyres.
Conclusion:
After trying 3 tyres on 3 different cars, Mercedes C200 Kompressor (yes…. Mercedes spell it with a “K”), BMW 325i and a Honda civic Type R. The findings according to my subjective opinion are as such:
The Michelin PS3 tyres are very good all round tyres and their softer side wall allows for the variation in the tyre pressures to adjust their “feel”. They provide good feedback.
The Continental CSC3’s do not perform well on the Honda Civic type R and feel soft and imprecise. However they fit the “relaxed” nature of the Mercedes.
The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT suits the character of the BMW and Honda Civic type R best due to its hard side wall and sporty feel. However they are slightly less comfortable than the other 2 tyres, road imperfections can be felt more in the Honda Civic type R. That said, they do give the best steering feel and inspire the most confidence.
Steering feel:
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT- Michelin PS3
Continental CSC3
Grip:
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT- Michelin PS3
Continental CSC3 (subjective feel)
Comfort:
Continental CSC3
Michelin PS3 (Close Second)
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Noise:
Michelin PS3 – Continental CSC3
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Value for money:
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Michelin PS3
Continental CSC3
Personal conclusion:
As I’m still young (I like to believe that) I would go for the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT or the Michelin PS3 should I have more money. It’s hard to separate between the two. The initial cost savings of the Dunlop tyres are offset by the better wear rate of the Michelin tyres.
The Continentals fall last on my list as they neither suit my driving style nor satisfy my “sporty side”, are the Continental CSC3 a bad tyre? Far from it they are still one of the best tyres in the world, hands down they are better than anything Falkens, Yokohama (except the AD series in my opinion) or any “economical” tyres (Firenza, Thunderer, cough cough…) *
*In my personal opinion. I do not make official representation in the express purpose of indemnifying myself from any legal action.
Reference:
Here are some links relating to the international comparisons of the 3 tyres….. I’m being impartial after all. So see for yourself and make your choice. I hope you have gained better understanding of tyres and their dynamics in the mean while. As usual all tyre test are very subjective but I hope that by adding a little science and logic into the equation you are able to make an informed choice in the future.
AutoKinetics 